


Lost in the Maze

by ALC_Punk



Category: Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Community: dw_femslash, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-21
Updated: 2011-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-27 01:25:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/656490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALC_Punk/pseuds/ALC_Punk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tentacle monsters cause deep thoughts. Set sometime after <i>Three's a Crowd</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost in the Maze

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Wishfulfaces

"Have you ever thought that maybe this wasn't the life you wanted?" It wasn't really the time for philosophical questions, but Peri had learnt that if you didn't ask as soon as you thought of something, you might not get the chance. Besides, it wasn't like it mattered if the squelching, heaving mass of tentacles behind them overheard her complaining.

Not that it was a complaint.

As such.

Erimem put on a burst of speed, distancing Peri just a bit and getting round the corner ahead of them first. 

They had landed in a maze, one the Doctor happily began investigating. When his discussion of the types of rocks had proved too much, Erimem and Peri had wandered off. He hadn't _said_ there were tentacle monsters in the maze, but then Peri hadn't asked.

She reminded herself to give him a piece of her mind on the subject of _crew safety_ just as soon as she and Erimem made it safely back to the TARDIS.

"Are you asking me, or yourself?" Erimem called back as Peri caught up with her.

Herself, Peri decided as they put another corner (thankfully not a dead end) between them and the squelching noises. Erimem had her own reasons for traveling with them--and outside of those times when she and the Doctor nearly came to blows over politics or religion, she seemed to enjoy herself immensely, looking at the world around them with a sort of star-eyed wonder that fed Peri's own need to enjoy the impossibilities they saw every day.

It was refreshing, really.

But Peri hadn't really _chosen_ to travel in the TARDIS--though the Doctor would probably _try_ to take her home if she asked. Being a botany student hadn't quite prepared her for endless corridor chases and getting shot at. At least the tentacles were vaguely plant-like. Then again, if she hadn't been dragged onto the TARDIS, she would never have met Erimem.

Not something Peri really wanted to think too hard about. At least, not until she knew whether thinking about it would get her anywhere. Or nowhere. Which was too confusing a topic for running for your life from a squelchy tentacle monster.

Erimem grabbed Peri's hand quite suddenly, and pulled her to a stop. "Wait."

Panting, Peri waited, listening for that awful sound to reach her ears over the sound of her heart pounding.

"I do not think it is following," Erimem said; she flashed a smile at Peri, "Perhaps we were too fast for it."

"Don't be silly--maybe it stubbed a tentacle," suggested Peri, grinning at her own ridiculous idea. It felt good to share a laugh with the other girl.

Erimem flashed an echoing grin, then tugged at Peri's hand, "Let us move on just in case it is waiting in the shadows."

"Ugh!" Peri shuddered dramatically. "Don't say things like that."

The sound of something slithering made them both tense before Peri started running again, Erimem behind her.

"Are you sure this is the right way?"

"It's away from that sound," Peri retorted, dodging around another corner. So far, she was pleased that they hadn't hit any dead-ends. That would have caused the unthinkable--a need to go back.

"Perhaps it just wants to talk."

The suggestion from Erimem was an idea worthy of the Doctor. Peri wasn't really into talking to semi-sentient piles of tentacles, though. Not even if they served a decent High Tea, and had exquisite table manners. The mental image of a tentacle monster with pinkies-up almost made her stop to giggle.

"Well, it can talk to the walls."

Erimem snorted and pulled at Peri's hand, slowing them down again. "We should still ask it."

"I'm not here to make it tea," Peri said, her pulse-rate rapid again. "Or coffee."

"Perhaps it likes cocoa."

They both giggled.

"If I had my sword," Erimem continued, her tone wistful, "I would not run from such a creature."

"No, you'd stay and defend your honor."

"And yours--or would you refuse to accept my offer?" Erimem's eyes widened slightly, as though she hadn't thought the importance of her words through.

Offering to defend Peri, as though she were Erimem's Lady, lover or betrothed--probably not what she had intended. There were more meanings, some of them probably just as ancient as Erimem, to such an idea. Peri found herself flushing slightly at the implications (even if they were all in her head, which they most probably were, but she couldn't deny to herself that the idea of kissing Erimem to thank her would be rather enjoyable!), "I can defend my honor just fine, thanks."

"I would never claim you could not." With a slight smile, Erimem tilted her head in a slight bow to Peri.

"Good. Now, shouldn't we be running again?"

"I thought you wanted tea," Erimem teased, even as she let Peri start them off again.

"Not with monsters--" Rounding another corner, Peri found a dead end. "Drat!"

"We shall have to offer it tea."

"Only if it gets us." Determined not to get caught by any monsters--not in what the Doctor had called a 'peaceful' maze, Peri led them back the way they'd come until they reached the previous fork.

They didn't encounter either the monster or strange noises for several minutes. Beginning to relax, Peri realized she was still holding Erimem's hand. She considered releasing it, but it was sort of nice to hold. Comforting, too. "It's not that I want to leave," she said, just to break the silence a little.

"Nor do I," replied Erimem.

Feeling strangely bold, Peri said softly, "I like being with you--as a friend," she added hastily, feeling that flush steal up her cheeks again.

"Or as more?" The question in Erimem's voice was reflected by a curiosity in her eyes.

Biting her lip, Peri told herself to stop being an idiot, and nodded. "Yes, I mean, not if, did you--"

One side of Erimem's mouth turned up in a smile, "In my culture, while marriages are made for alliances and the continuation of the line, there were also--other--liaisons."

"That sounds so formal."

"It can be."

Peri felt torn for a moment, then she swung Erimem's hand in hers. "Well, then. Is this formal?"

"I would say most definitely not--" Erimem leaned in and brushed her lips against the corner of Peri's mouth. "Unless there needs to be an alliance between our two cultures in the near-future."

"An alliance--" The sound of squelching made Peri glance back, and she yelped, "-can wait until later."

They took off running again. It felt as though nothing had changed, but Peri knew it had.

It was probably a good thing that the tentacle monster was so slow. They stopped for a proper kiss after several more corners (the maze seemed to go on forever), and Peri felt a breathless giddiness as she reflected that perhaps this was _exactly_ the life she wanted. Even with the monsters and the running.


End file.
